Sccavenger Hunt
by JennieJoy72
Summary: Amanda has a solo mission.
1. Chapter 1

**Scavenger Hunt**

 **December 1987**

 **Getting Permission—Stetson Style**

"Hey, Fellas, I need your help with something."

The two boys looked up from their magazines then toward one another, smiling at each other, "Sure, what is it?" they asked in sync.

"Come out to the dining room and I'll fill you in."

Both boys stopped abruptly in the doorway of Lee's dining room. They looked from one to another as they saw some papers, envelopes, and a ring box in the center of the table.

"Lee, what kind of help do you need?" Jamie asked.

Taking a deep breath, Lee bit the bullet, "I want to ask your mother to marry me. I plan on sending her on a small scavenger hunt around D.C. where she will finally get back to the house and where I'll be waiting to ask her with everyone there. I was thinking that this would be a romantic gesture."

"Mom loves that sappy stuff." Phillip agreed as he went to pick up the notes.

Lee stopped him before Phillip could mix the notes up. "Whoa, Lee, I wasn't going to read them." his stepson explained.

"Uh, no, it isn't that. I have them in order. I wanted Jaime to write her name on the outside envelopes with the calligraphy pen and ink, but I need to get dinner started, so I was hoping to get your help with that."

Jamie looked at Lee and commented, "You don't want Phillip cooking, but surprisingly he does know his numbers and letters."

Phillip glared at his brother, about to make a sly retort until he saw the look on Lee's face, making him think twice about it.

"I guess this means that if you two are bickering over how I want to propose to your mother, then you don't care that I want to propose in the first place. That makes me feel better."

The three looked at each other when Lee felt the need to clarify that they didn't care that he was going to ask his wife to marry him. "How do you two feel about all this? Will it bother you if I ask your mom to marry me?"

Jamie was the first to speak, "Honestly, Lee, I think this is a really bad idea."

Phillip looked out of the corner of his eye trying to figure out where his brother was going with his train of thought. They had had numerous conversations about not if Lee would ask their mom, but more and more about when Lee would ask.

Lee froze. He'd thought the boys would be okay with him marrying Amanda. Now he didn't know what to think with Jamie's comment, considering him and Amanda had been married for ten months. Lee was okay with waiting until the boys were both on board, but he sure as hell wasn't divorcing Amanda.

"Okay, can you tell me why, Jamie? I thought after all this time, you would be okay with me asking your mom."

Jamie gave Lee a look of concern and then realized that Lee didn't understand what he meant. "Lee, no, I'm fine with you asking Mom to marry you. The scavenger hunt is just like Phillip said; sappy as well as romantic. I just think asking her in front of everyone is the wrong move. She might think that you think that is the only way you can get her to say yes; by doing it in front of everyone. Trust me, Mom doesn't work that way. When Dean asked her to marry him, he did it with all of us there. All it did was put her on the spot. Then Grandma did nothing but remind Mom all the time about how great it would be when they got married. I think that is why Mom never married him and stopped dating him. I think you should ask her with just the two of you; less pressure on both of you."

Phillip and Lee both just looked at Jamie with their mouths hanging open.

"How do you and Mom do that?" Phillip asked.

"How do we do what?"

Lee and Phillip both exclaimed, "Talk without breathing!"

Jamie just shook his head then asked Lee, "When are Mom and Grandma going to be home?"

Realizing Jamie just referred to his apartment as home, Lee looked at his watch and answered, "Uh, in about two hours, give or take."

"Then I guess we should get dinner started while Wonder Boy here gets started on his penmanship." Phillip laughed as he headed toward the kitchen.

"Jamie, are you sure you are okay with me asking your mom to marry me?"

Smiling back at Lee, Jamie mischievously answered, "I'm fine with it, but have you ever thought that maybe Phillip might not be? He hasn't said anything." Jamie walked into the living room and then came back in with a stack of magazines. When Lee looked at him funny Jamie explained, "I have a more fun idea on how to do Mom's name on the envelopes. Where do you keep your scissors and glue?"

Lee left Jamie to his plan while he went in the kitchen where he found Phillip opening cabinet doors. "What are you looking for, Chief?"

"Pots, pans, food; don't we need those things to make dinner? Your cabinets have plates, bowls, an excessive amount of wine glasses, but nothing to cook with; food or otherwise."

"The pans we need are in the lower left cabinet next to the fridge. The food we need to prepare dinner is in the pantry and fridge. I thought we could have a salad and individual homemade pizzas. I need your help in preparing the salad and making the dough."

"Okay, where are your salad bowl and knives?"

Lee got the bowl and ingredients for Phillip to make the salad as he retrieved the items from the panty to start the dough. He continued to watch his stepson as he prepared the salad. Lee, after a few minutes, decided to open the conversation up.

"You're getting pretty good around the kitchen, aren't ya?"

"Well, with the crazy hours Mom works here lately and Grandma off learning to fly anything with wings, I signed up for Home Economics to learn to cook. Besides, did you know a lot of girls take that course?"

"No way, really, ya don't say, Captain Genius!" Jamie chimed in from the dining room.

Ignoring Jamie's comment and smiled at his own memories of classes he took to get closer to girls, Lee just laughed and answered, "I do hear that a good number of girls take that course."

"I can tell you it isn't because they want to become some kind of Suzy Homemaker, that's for sure. They take it because they want to see us guys fail at it. They take it to make us look bad."

"Is it working?" He looked back at Phillip, raising an eyebrow.

"Not for me. I found out I'm really good. It's one of my highest grades." Phillip stated proudly before quietly adding, "That and I really enjoy cooking. Do you know that most of the greatest chefs are men?"

"I'm glad you found something at school you really like, besides girls and auto shop. Phillip, I want to ask you something."

Phillip turned to him and thought he knew what Lee was going to ask, but stayed silent. He wanted to let Lee sweat it out. One thing he had learned about his mom's new boyfriend over the last few months was that he was still nervous around Jamie and him.

"About me asking your mom to marry me; how do you feel about it?" Lee was looking him in the eye, but inside he was shaking like a leaf.

Phillip stood for a minute, making it look like he was really thinking the question over. Finally, he let Lee off the hook and said, "Do you love her?"

"More than I ever thought I could love someone."

"Does it bother you she has two almost grown children? I mean, what if you get married and find out she can't have more kids? Will you regret not having kids of your own?"

Lee didn't miss a beat when he answered, "No I wouldn't have any regrets. How could I? I would already have the best stepsons anyone could ask for?"

"You go away sometimes for work, like mom; will it ever become more important than mom or us?"

"If you are asking if I will make every ballgame or play, then no I might miss some. I can tell you that the ones I do make it to, I'll be one of the biggest fans you two ever saw, well, next to your mother and grandmother."

"Lee, I have to tell you, if you really want my permission and blessing to marry my mom, there is only one way that is going to happen."

Lee scrunched his eyebrows together looking at Phillip with concern and then he noticed the same mischievous gleam in his eyes that Jamie and Amanda have used on him before.

"Oh, yeah, and what is that, Chief?"

"The next time we go to the track, you have to let me drive the 'vette!"

"No, I'll just die alone instead of your mother killing me, thank you very much."

"I'm just messing with you, I don't care if you ask her," and then he became serious as he continued, "I just don't want to see her hurt again."

Lee walked over to him and placed his hands on Phillip's shoulders, "I would never purposely do anything to hurt your mother, your grandmother, or you two boys. I want you to believe that."

Phillip smiled and said, "You're not gonna get all sappy like Mom are ya?"

Laughing and walking away Lee said, "No, not me, well, I might when she is walking down the aisle to me."

An hour and a half later, Jamie asked, "Where do you want me to hide this stuff? Mom and Grandma will be home soon."

Lee and Phillip looked at the envelopes where Jamie had cut out the letters of Amanda's name and glued to the outside.

"These look like ransom notes, not a sappy romantic gesture that Lee wanted you Wormbrain!" Phillip scolded.

"I think its better this way. More of a mystery, besides the clues and places he sends her should be the real romantic part of all this; well, that is until he is proposing to her."

"Hey, don't fight, Fellas. Jamie, this is perfect. Take theses along with the ring and place it in my top dresser drawer under the socks." As Jamie walked away, Lee thought twice about that and yelled, "Better yet put it in the second bedroom closet." She never goes in that room, he thought, and that way, Jamie wouldn't see his mother's panties in his dresser drawer next to his socks.

Ten minutes later, just as Jamie was finishing setting the table, Dotty and Amanda came in from their day of Christmas shopping. Dotty was hanging her scarf and coat up over Amanda's as Amanda yelled out, "Hello!"

The guys stood in the dining room entrance as the ladies walked more into the apartment. Amanda looked at her mother and then at the guys and inquired, "What have you three been up to all day?"

Looking from one to the other, shaking their heads, Lee answered, "Oh, nothing much, just guy stuff."


	2. Chapter 2

**Scavenger Hunt**

 **December 24, 1987**

 **Let the hunt begin!**

Amanda woke up on Christmas Eve happier than she had in the last four years. This was the first year that Lee had not put himself on the active holiday roster. This was the year that she would spend all day with her entire family, just hanging out, having fun, and definitely not running around DC putting her life in danger. This was going to be the best Christmas Eve ever.

She flipped the covers off her and went to gather her clothes for the day. She was going to go take her shower and get ready to do nothing except cook dinner, which is if her mother would even let her help. Lee told her the night before that he would be back around eight-thirty or nine in the morning. She laughed as she remembered telling him, "early enough to spend the day, but just in time to miss breakfast."

She let the warm water run down her back and over her sore muscles. She had done a new training session with Leatherneck the day before because she needed to get used to shooting again since she had been shot. Even though she had been back on full active duty for a few months now, she still needed her certification updated in some of the longer-range weapons.

Stepping from the shower, she dried her hair and pinned it up, put on a little make-up, and then made her way into her room to get dressed. Lee would be there soon and nothing could put her in a bad mood. She had just finished dressing in jeans and one of Lee's old sweatshirts he had left one day when her phone rang.

"Hello." She said in an extremely chipper voice.

"Are you always perky this early in the morning?" Francine's voice sounded as if she had just done a three-day stakeout.

"Good morning, Francine. What can I do for you today?"

"I need you to come in today for…"

"No, Francine. Now look, you know that I am off the roster and so is Lee. I am not coming in. I am not doing it!"

Amanda was running out the door as Lee was walking in and Dotty was yelling, "Tell them that you can't keep doing this. You have today off!"

"Hey, where's the fire?" Lee asked with a look of surprise on his face.

"I'm sorry but Francine called and all the notes I did yesterday for the editing sessions that were run for the last three months, are gone."

"Whoa, what do you mean they're gone?" His expression left nothing for her to figure out that he was the one who asked Francine to call her into the office in order for her to find her first clue of the day.

She looked at him and shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know, all I do know is that Francine called and said all the notes from the last three months are no longer in the computer. No one else seems to be in today to retrieve them. I hate to leave, but you and Mother will be fine with the boys for a few hours while I go and work with the computer guys to fix this."

"Lee, I swear if we let her walk out that door, we won't see her until tomorrow morning. Every time that infernal office of yours calls on Christmas or she goes in just to hand out presents, she never comes home. I was so happy when I heard you were coming here today, because that meant you wouldn't call her in and now look at this! Here she is, running out again. Oh, I swear, one of these days I am going to make you fire her." Dotty stormed out knowing that nothing she was going to say to her daughter would make a difference.

Lee leaned in, gave Amanda a kiss and said, "You go take care of the office and I will take care of your mother, since it is kind of my fault you missed all that family time these last few years. Maybe she will punish me and make me eat breakfast."

"Don't joke about that. I'll come home and you'll be comatose from pancakes and bacon. I promise I'll hurry back. I love you, Sweetheart." She leaned up to kiss him.

"I love you too. Now go so you can get back here and we can enjoy our first holiday together. Oh, here, take my car I blocked you in." Lee was practically pushing her out the door. He stood watching as she drove out of the drive and on to an adventure she never saw coming.

Lee walked into the kitchen to find Dotty still fuming and complaining. Lee walked over to the coffee pot, letting her rant and rave. By the time he had gotten the milk in his coffee and sat down, she finally turned on him.

"You did this! You turned my holiday-loving daughter into a female Scrooge who runs out at every opportunity on Christmas."

"I know, but I am hoping that this is the last one." Lee placed the ring box on the table and said, "Let me explain what I have done."

Dotty stared at the ring box that held Amanda's engagement ring. She sat down across from Lee and said, "Is that what I think it is?"

"If you think it is an engagement ring then yes, it is. I asked a co-worker to call her and tell her that something terrible happened to our files at work. When she came back from California, Amanda had been on light duty and became really familiar with the new computer system and the tech guys who fix them. She really helped me retrieve a few lost files in the last couple of weeks before anyone found out. Well, when she goes into our office, she is going to find not missing files but a note. I am sending her on a scavenger hunt around DC, and then at the end of her hunt I will be waiting, with this, to ask her to marry me. That is what the boys and I were really doing the other day."

The tears welled in her eyes as she listened to Lee explain that he not only wanted to marry Amanda, but he wanted it to be romantic when he did ask.

"That sounds perfect Lee. I'm sorry for getting mad." She wiped her eyes then a thought struck her. "Lee, how do you know when she'll be at the final location or that the notes won't fly away or someone else will get them and think that it is trash and throw it away?"

"First of all, the clues aren't hard. Secondly, she's on a time limit. I should be returning with your daughter in a couple of hours. I have Francine at the office making sure Amanda gets the first clue. She will be mad at first, but I think she'll go along with it.

"Why not just ask her here, after dinner?" Dotty asked while making more coffee.

"I wanted to, right there in the backyard, but Jamie thought that I needed to ask in a location that held a deeper meaning with just the two of us. He also said that neither Amanda nor I would feel as much pressure if it was just her and me without everyone else." Lee took a big drink of his coffee and waited for her to complain about the plan.

"Lee Stetson, that is the most romantic thing ever!" she exclaimed as she stood up and went to him and hugged him. "I don't think she will say no. She hasn't been this happy in a very long time."

Beginning to feel a bit more emotional than he thought he would explaining his plan to Dotty, Lee stood and asked to help her fix the boys' breakfast. He was still in the process of fighting with Dotty about him eating when the boys came down and while Phillip sleepily chimed in, "Give up now, live to see your wedding day, Man."

"Yeah, less fatalities Lee, just eat. Besides are you two going to fight every morning? That isn't a good way to start the day." Jamie advised as he reached for a glass and began to fill it with orange juice. It was then that Lee now understood what Amanda was feeling when he was suggesting all the wedding and housing plans before.

"Oh boy, okay, you win! I'll eat, toast, just toast and coffee." Lee conceded, sitting down at the table again while explaining to the boys that Operation Proposal was in motion.

Amanda pulled in the parking garage, plotting Francine's death for the twentieth time since pulling out of her driveway. Walking in she headed for the elevator so she could find Francine and ask which files were lost and why couldn't she get Beaman or any tech geek to find the lost files.

Walking in the bullpen the first person she saw was Leatherneck setting up for the annual office party. Before she could even ask where Francine was Billy stopped her questioning, "Amanda, what are you doing in today? You left gifts and cookies yesterday. I thought you and Lee were taking this year off, due to your lack of holiday luck."

Smiling she answered, "I was until Francine called to tell me that my notes on the last three months of cases were lost and not with their files."

Billy looked at her with concern as he said, "I can pull any file up at any given time. I know about everything that concerns my agents. I haven't seen any incomplete records."

Before Amanda could fully comprehend his double meaning, her face began to turn red as her anger began to go from a slow slimmer to a beginning boil, "Where is Francine?" Amanda asked.

"She's working in the Q today, until the party later." Billy just smiled as he walked to his office while Amanda stormed toward the elevator.

Picking up his phone he called Lee's extension, "Warning, warning, she is mad. She thinks you lied to her."

"I did lie to her and he owes me the biggest steak dinner! She better say yes!" Francine exclaimed.

Laughing he said, "I don't have any doubt she will say yes, I do however agree that Lee will owe you big time for the hell you are about to receive from Amanda."

"Oh, great, I can see my obituary now, 'Francine Desmond killed in hopes of love and friendship'." She slammed the phone down quickly before Billy could reply, as she heard Amanda getting closer and yelling her name.

Flinging the door open Amanda stood glaring at Francine and spat out, "What in the Sam Hill is the reasoning for pulling me away from my family today when there is nothing wrong in the least bit with the computers, our files, or any other thing that is related to this job?"

Standing up from Lee's desk, Francine said, "This wasn't my idea. I was given an order and you have been given a solo mission for today."

Handing over the envelope Francine continued, "The good news is that you should be done with this in no time and back to your family." She then left Amanda alone with the note. Stopping at Mrs. Marston's desk, she quickly picked up the phone and called Lee.

"Mrs. West, may I speak with Lee please? Lee, hi, yeah she has the note. I just left her. Good luck, she is really mad."


	3. Chapter 3

Amanda watched as Francine closed the door then she walked over and sat in her chair. Flipping the envelope over Amanda looked down at her name. Then it hit her, she had found all those magazines at Lee's in the garbage the other day. He must have had one of the boys do this.

She dialed her house only to find the line busy. Setting the receiver back down, she decided to play whatever game her husband wanted her to play. Taking a deep breath she carefully opened the envelope.

 **CLUE # 1**

 **Nothing of today will be filled with doom.**

 **The clues you need are not in this room.**

 **My Amanda, Tick-Tock**

 **You're now on the clock**

 **The next place you go on this Christmas adventure**

 **Will to see the man of greatest Stature.**

Standing to pace, she was trying to figure out what Lee was up to. Turning back to her desk again, she dialed her house for the second time.

"Oh, Mother, hi, can I please talk to Lee?" her annoyance showing through.

"I'm sorry, he is in the middle of something with the boys and can't be disturbed. He did say that if you called that just for once he would like you to follow his instructions to the letter."

"What does he mean by for once? I follow his instruct…, okay, Mother, I will be home as soon as I can." Amanda replaced the receiver and then looked at the note again.

"Okay, Amanda, you can figure this out. Lee has a surprise for me, so I am not going to be hurt, I'm on a time limit, and I need to go to the Lincoln Memorial."

Amanda arrived and headed toward the statue. She stood with the cool December wind blowing through her hair. She thought that Lee would be waiting for her and her mother was only kidding when she said he was busy with the boys. Yet, here she stood on Christmas Eve morning staring at Lincoln instead of having breakfast with her family.

Amanda was startled from her thoughts as she heard, "Amazing figure, isn't he?" Amanda jumped at hearing the voice breaking her thoughts. Her face broke into a big smile as she looked at TP standing close to her.

"T.P., Merry Christmas! What brings you out today?" She asked while giving her friend a welcoming hug.

"I'm out today for the same reason you are, My Dear."

"I'm afraid I don't understand T.P." Amanda announced as they continued to stare at the gigantic figure in front of them.

Looking back at her for a few minutes TP continued, "Lincoln and you have a lot in common."

Regarding him from the corner of her eye she questioned, "In what ways am I like a man like him?"

"You don't need to be a President to free a man of his chains. Here, My Dear, this is for you." He handed her an envelope, similar to the one that Francine had given her, kissed her cheek and walked away.

She watched as T.P. walked away and then she stared up at the statue briefly before taking the envelope and heading back to the car.

TP watched from his car as Amanda left and headed for Lee's car. When she was inside he picked up the phone, dialing the number on the paper in front of him. After a brief moment his only words before hanging up were, "Lincoln was successful."

Dotty stared at the phone then turned to Lee who was in the middle of a game with the boys. "Lee, someone called saying Lincoln was successful."

Lee looked at his watch and said, "Great, I have about one more hour before I go and met with Amanda."

"Don't forget the ring." Phillip advised.

"I got it right here in my pocket, Chief. Now we better hurry and finish this game."


	4. Chapter 4

Amanda sat staring at the envelope. She heard TP's words in her head. She was beginning to see that whatever her husband wanted to give her was important. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the second note.

 **Clue #2**

 **In the office**

 **That we share**

 **You blackmailed me**

 **To take you there**

"Spencer's is where I blackmailed you into dinner. Stetson, your reasoning and meaning behind this is harder than your clues." She said as she put the letter down to start the car. She thought the clues would have been harder if he was going to send her out running around like a crazy person on Christmas Eve. She began to wonder if the restaurant would even be open since, one it was a holiday and two it was morning time.

Amanda parked the car in front of Spencer's. Getting out of the car, she walked toward the door. It was locked. Knocking on the door, not that she thought it would help, she was surprised when she heard the lock snap and the door open.

Going in, she walked slowly into the dining room area stopping suddenly. Approaching the small, dark-headed figure at the table she began to breathe easier when she saw Magda sitting drinking coffee.

"Hello, Magda, Merry Christmas." Amanda greeted her as she sat across from her friend.

"Merry Christmas to you as well; how has your morning gone?"

"Not the way I planned at all. All I wanted to do was spend the day at home with my family, but Lee seems to have other plans for me."

Magda smiled and said, "What has he done to change your plans?"

Taking a deep breath she explained, "Obviously, I'm not at home with my family. He has enlisted our co-workers," pointing toward Magda, "as well as friends, to give me clues to my Christmas present." Taking the offered cup of coffee from Magda, Amanda sipped the warm drink slowly.

"What a terrible thing for him to do, making a romantic gesture just to give you a present." The sarcasm dripped from her voice.

Amanda's eyes popped up to look Magda in the eyes. She thought she saw a flicker of something lost in Magda's deep brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound ungrateful. You have to understand how things have progressed with Lee and me, it hasn't been easy for either of us."

Nodding her head Magda responded, "Why? It was so obvious to me when I first met you both that you had feelings for one another. I still do not understand why if one has feelings for another, you just simply don't come out and say so; why all the games?"

"We weren't ready for a relationship when we met you, at least not with each other. If you recall, Lee hadn't even met my mother the day he brought you to the house. When she started to come down, I made him leave."

"And so he has now met her?" Magda stated plainly.

"Yes, he has, and the boys also." Amanda replied while playing with the napkin.

"Do they all get along?"

"They do now, more than after I was shot. Jamie became really jealous of Lee and Lee was trying, but just missing the mark."

"Missing the mark? I don't understand."

"It just means that he was going by the book and well, that just doesn't work for Lee. After he started relating to Jamie without books and advise from others he did just fine."

Magda stood and handed Amanda another envelope. "It sounds like you have then come full circle. Have a Merry Christmas." Magda then left Amanda sitting alone at the table holding the envelope.


	5. Chapter 5

Amanda sat for a time looking over the lettering on the outside of the envelope. She began to wonder which boy cut the letters and pasted them on. She thought back to the night at Lee's apartment when she and her mother came back after shopping. The three of them were standing in the doorway to the dining room and since that was really the last night the three had spent alone it had to have been the night the notes were done.

"What is he up to though?" she thought as she flipped the envelope over and over in her hand. Wondering where he would take her next and who she would find there, Amanda took the butter knife and opened the note.

 **Clue # 3**

 **In this spot absently I bared my soul**

 **Leaving you alone I had to go**

 **If you return to me here today**

 **Never more will I run away**

"Damn, you have left me alone in lots of places. The train station, the Agency, the car, not that I stay in the car. You left me alone in your apartment, my house, the office, not there; the first clue said it wasn't there. You have never willingly bared your soul without me pushing you, except that once, but…Oh, my, gosh!"

Amanda grabbed the keys and ran out the door. Getting in the car she made her way toward the only place that Lee could have been talking about. Tapping the steering wheel she began to get frustrated as she hit a small traffic jam five minutes from her destination.

Amanda pulled up and parked the car behind her own. Knowing he was here, she excitingly exited the car only to turn back around to take the keys she forgotten from the ignition.

Running up the steps, she walked all the way around once before realizing she had passed him once already.

"Will you stand still, Lee Stetson? I have been running around D.C. all morning just to end up fifteen minutes from where I started at the office. What is this all about today? Why couldn't you just give me my present at the house like a normal person?"

Shrugging his shoulders he nonchalantly said, "Jamie told me not to."

"Jamie told you not to?" she repeated his words back to him.

"Yeah, Jamie told me not to." Lee wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered, "Just walk with me."

Smiling she asked, "Lee, what was today all about?"

Shrugging he explained, "I know the clues I gave you weren't hard to figure out. I wanted you to have some fun, since I've kind of ruined the last few years for you." Seeing her roll her eyes at him he continued on, "They weren't supposed to be hard; after all it wasn't those clues you had to figure out today. It was the ones from our friends you needed to figure out

"Okay, so…" Amanda started before Lee stopped her.

"No, please let me finish. Remember when we first came here? I told you I was the definition of a loner. I even liked being alone."

"I remember that. How's that working out for you?" She asked laughing. Shaking his head he just smiled at her.

"Can't say it, Stetson, can you?" Amanda goaded him.

"Not even under the interrogation of the toughest KGB agent or your mother." He said smiling sideways at her.

Taking her hands, he guided her back to the steps, sitting down and placing her on his lap. Wrapping his arms around her he pointed toward the White House. "How about we buy that little shack over there? Do you think it would be big enough for all of us, a few cats and horses?"

"Yes, that is a very beautiful home. I think it's plenty big enough for all of us plus a few cats, but I'm still allergic to horses," pointing her finger at him and laughing, "maybe a dog instead. Although, I think in order to live there, one of us will have to be elected President; with my busy schedule I have to decline the nomination. Do you want the job?"

Laughing he said, "No, well, then, I guess we'll have to find a different home since you aren't willing to let us take over that one. I have to get our family under one roof."

"Yeah, I know, and one day we will. What do you mean you have to? This hasn't all been on you." She turned to place a light kiss on his cheek and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah? It feels like that it's my fault. I think I was lying to myself and in that I ended up lying to you and the kids. What if I said that when I first suggested the mystery marriage that I did believe that it was for safety and for them to get to know me?" he asked as she looked back out toward the White House. "I have had a lot of time to rethink that since you got shot." Lee reached into his pocket, with her focus away from him, pulled out her engagement ring then softly spoke into her ear, "Will you marry me?"

She looked at him surprisingly, "What?"

"Think about it." He said smugly hoping she had had time to think about the real clues of the day.

Amanda sat looking at her husband. Her thoughts racing through the day and all that happened. "The problem at work isn't really a problem. Billy knows about everything that goes on with his agents and Francine helped and supported this mission of yours, so she is behind you."

"Keep going." Lee encouraged.

"T.P. said that I didn't have to be a President to free a man. I know you are more open and even willing to take help when offered. I guess that could be a form of freedom."

"That's a very liberating feeling. It is hard for someone that never really trusted that love and happiness could be his, even when it's right in front of him." he admitted easily.

"Magda said we have come full circle and since I am guessing that Mother or the boys helped you today that they are behind you in this."

"The boys helped and knew. Your mother didn't until after you left this morning. I didn't want her to give it away. We have come full circle. I was foolish in thinking I didn't need a partner. I know being married to a man that was never home again was not your plan, but you did it for me. You did something for me that no man should have ever asked of you twice. The fact is it isn't keeping us any safer and we see less of each other. I know it will still be an adjustment, but at least it will be a normal adjustment. So, Amanda Jean West King Stetson, I ask you again, will you marry me the way it should have always been?"

Kissing him she nodded her head as she answered, "Yes, I will marry you."

Kissing her, Lee slipped the ring on her finger before laughing and said, "We better get back to the house. If I keep you gone much longer it won't matter if you said yes or not, your mother will kill me."

They arrived back at the house coming in through the back door. Jamie was in the kitchen getting a glass of milk and turned as they came in, "They're back!" he yelled. Dotty and Phillip came in to stand next to Jamie.

"You all three know what I had planned for Amanda today. I asked her to marry me today and well she said…" taking Amanda's left hand raised it together to show the ring as they both said, "YES!"


	6. Chapter 6

**February 13, 1988**

 **The Wedding**

Lee stood in the room adjusting his tie, "Amanda always does this," he muttered to himself.

"Well, Skip, I guess you are flying solo on this mission." Colonel Robert Clayton said as he entered the room and hearing his nephew muttering.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I tied ties for myself since I was eight years old."

"Only because I made you do it and had Barney stop doing it for you after that first year. Come over here."

Lee went and stood in front of his uncle as Robert reached over and adjusted the bow tie. "You're just nervous, Son it happens when you get married."

"Sir, how would you know anything about it?" Lee asked.

"Don't tell him, he isn't old enough to handle it." Barney chimed in while closing the door.

"Stop it, Barney. I was married for about a week once when I was nineteen. Her family found out and then made us get it annulled. She didn't fight it so I just figured she changed her mind. At least Amanda hasn't changed her mind in this last year."

Lee looked over at Barney and then back at his uncle before saying, "When did you find out?"

"I had a pretty good idea when you called and told me about her getting shot and then I nagged him to death until he told me. He made me promise not to let you know I knew or that he confirmed it until you were ready to let me know."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. We hadn't even really made the decision to tell Barney when we were visiting."

"It is okay, I haven't really made it easy to open up to about things. I understand. I am glad though that you two have decided to bring it out in the open though. Love shouldn't be hidden away, that is no way to live."

Lee hugged his uncle and told him thanks just as Jamie came, "Lee, Colonel, Sir, it's time to start."

"Thanks, we're on our way Jamie." Lee smiled at Jamie.

Standing at the front of the church with his uncle by his side, Lee watched as Dotty was escorted down the aisle by Phillip and Jamie at her side taking their seats in front. Next he watched as Francine came forward to take her place as maid of honor. Finally, the music cued that the bride was next. Lee held his breath as the doors reopened to show Amanda coming forward with Billy walking her down. She was wearing a more traditional gown then she had a year before. He remembered that day thinking she couldn't have been more beautiful than she was at that moment they first wed, he was wrong.

Billy placed a small kiss on her cheek before placing her hand in Lee's.

"Who gives this woman today in matrimony?" the minister inquired.

Lee and Amanda broke out into laughter as their family and friends all said in unison, "WE DO!"


End file.
